ambodia tv station apsaraTV is carrying the trial live. This morning I settle in to watch for a couple hours. I thought you'd like to see what I'm seeing although the quality is compromised because these are pictures of the tv screen. This is a specially built court outside Phnom Penh. The trial is open and the courtroom is full with several hundreds of victims. I'd guess many people who want to sample the proceedings will never get in.
The international tribunal ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia") was agreed to between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the United Nations after Cambodia's National Assembly and Senate finally approved the terms. Cambodia delayed approval for 7 years insisting among other things that more Cambodian judges sit on the tribunal than the United Nations wanted.
Although the genocide crimes date back 30 years to the period April 17, 1975-January 9, 1979, 98% of 537 Cambodians surveyed want to have the Khmer Rouge Tribunal and 63.1% believe it will bring them justice. [August 2004 survey by KID] More than 1.7 million Cambodians died from starvation, overwork and execution.
The highest ranking living Khmer Rouge leader is Kaing Guek Eav, forme
r prison commander known as Duch, now 66 years old. He was commandant of the notorious S-21, Toul Sleng, formerly a high school in Phnom Penh, where he oversaw the deaths of nearly 16,000 men, women and children.
The highest ranking living Khmer Rouge leader is Kaing Guek Eav, forme
r prison commander known as Duch, now 66 years old. He was commandant of the notorious S-21, Toul Sleng, formerly a high school in Phnom Penh, where he oversaw the deaths of nearly 16,000 men, women and children.As exhibits are entered as evidence, tv viewers can see them. Some are simply too gruesome to include in this post. This series of pictures of S-21 victims following their deaths by torture, starvation or execution is just a small part of one page. Duch was asked if he recognized any of these people.
A week or so ago
when I caught a short segment of the trial, Duch was explaining pictures/exhibits of S-21 prisoners tied to 4 iron bed frames in one small cell with each having his blood drained into 4 large pouches. Duch said they did this with prisoners at S-21 whenever "clinics/hospitals" in Khmer Rouge camps ran out of blood and requested S-21 to provide some. The judge asked how many prisoners had their blood drained like this. Duch replied there were about 20 that time.
On intake each prisoner was photographed, height measured, weighed. All this was meticulously written down. One might think it odd that there are extraordinarily comprehensive written records. It's because most of the high leaders of Khmer Rouge were teachers who had been educated in Paris.
when I caught a short segment of the trial, Duch was explaining pictures/exhibits of S-21 prisoners tied to 4 iron bed frames in one small cell with each having his blood drained into 4 large pouches. Duch said they did this with prisoners at S-21 whenever "clinics/hospitals" in Khmer Rouge camps ran out of blood and requested S-21 to provide some. The judge asked how many prisoners had their blood drained like this. Duch replied there were about 20 that time.On intake each prisoner was photographed, height measured, weighed. All this was meticulously written down. One might think it odd that there are extraordinarily comprehensive written records. It's because most of the high leaders of Khmer Rouge were teachers who had been educated in Paris.
English, Khmer and French are the languages of the court. I can listen to a judge questioning in English as well as
hear the Khmer and French interpreters. There is a short time between the question and the beginning of Duch's reply while he hears the Khmer interpretation. The judges are distinguished by black robes, except the presiding judge wearing a red robe, all with the long white cravat. There are men and women judges and the presiding judge speaks French.
For several years, Khmer people have told me they think there will never be a trial of the Khmer Rouge. I hoped there would be. Now my hope is their hope: That this will bring them justice.
hear the Khmer and French interpreters. There is a short time between the question and the beginning of Duch's reply while he hears the Khmer interpretation. The judges are distinguished by black robes, except the presiding judge wearing a red robe, all with the long white cravat. There are men and women judges and the presiding judge speaks French.For several years, Khmer people have told me they think there will never be a trial of the Khmer Rouge. I hoped there would be. Now my hope is their hope: That this will bring them justice.
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